The present invention relates to transparent, colored pigments based on platelet-shaped transparent substrates, such as mica, talc or glass, which are coated with colored metal oxides or metal hydroxides.
Many types of colored pigments are already used in the production of lacquers, printing inks, plastics, cosmetics and other products. However, almost all of these pigments are opaque. There are indeed some organic pigments which are relatively transparent and also possess a good coloring power. However, these pigments have disadvantages because of their low stability to heat and weathering and their high price. In addition, many organic pigments cannot be used without reservation in cosmetics or in the packaging of foodstuffs, and their transparency is unsatisfactory.
On the other hand, transparent pigments exist which comprise substrate material such as alumina white, precipitated barium sulfate or the like on which an organic pigment has adsorptively been deposited. These pigments, however, can be used only to a limited extent, especially in cosmetics, since they are not sufficiently dispersible and have a poor gloss and inadequate filling and adhesion properties.